Chapter One: Return

Disclaimer: I don't own naruto!

Tsunade surveyed the Uchiha before her. And by his appearance, he had obviously lost to his eldest brother.

"And you just expect me to let you walk back in?" She asked.

Truth be told, after all the time and effort put into finding him, he had. But rather than let on, he replied, "I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit."

The corners of Tsunade's mouth turned up.

"Good. Report to training field seven at six."

He turned to leave.

"And, Sasuke, you had better be there."

He stiffend with the unspoken threat, then nodded and elt under the escort of several ANBU.

Sakura—for reasons she didn't understand—double checked the holster on her thigh.

It was because Kakashi was on time and instinct told her—subconsciously—that it was serious.

And then they saw him….

"Sakura, Naruto, I believe no introduction are needed. As punishment for his crimes, he will be forced to undergo a three step assimilation program. The first level entails a reintroduction into his former cell. You can talk, spar, anything to clear the air." Kakashi said.

Sakura smiled as she stepped forward.

"Naruto," She said as she loosened her headband and tossed her hair, "hold this."

"Uh, Sakura…!" He gaped as he caught the hitai-ate.

"You had your chance." She replied, "It's my turn."

Kakashi opened his mouth but was cut short when Sakura added, "Do either of you care to stop me?"

Sasuke, arrogant of his strength and sure of his weakness, imagined they wouldn't challenge her to spare her complex.

So when she took her place, he felt it necessary to ask why she wasn't wearing her headband.

And she said, "Because that would mean we're fighting as friends and comrades on equal ground."

'She's as bad as Naruto.' Sasuke thought.

"Well, have it your way." He shrugged.

"Enough talk." Sakura sanpped.

"When you're ready." Kakashi said.

Sakura wasted no time: Charging the Uchiha, she tossed several shuriken.

Sasuke, seeing the line each was trailing, played his katana in a circle—snapping them.

As expected, they snapped back at the kunoichi. But rather than evade them, she flipped into the air; sinking the razor ends into two nearby trees—slingshotting herself back at the shinobi and sinking her foot right into his jaw.

Kakashi saw the slightest flicker of blue in her keirakukei. He knew she never used her monstrous strength when fighting comrades or in exhibition matches—she could kill someone. But this wasn't a friendly comparision of techniques…she was fighting for something more important.

Her nindo.

Sasuke forced his jaw back into place and watched with irritation as Sakura calmly extracted two gloves from her hip holster and slid them over her slender wrists.

He was not going to use his sharigan on her.

'So she learned a new trick.' He reasoned.

Launching a kunai at her, he charged Sakura.

Giving into honed instinct, she closed her eyes and ducked. Realizing his mistake, Sasuke tried t stop, but by then she had pulled into a handstand and hand him clamped firmly between her calves.

Sakura spun and loosened her grip, sending him sprawling into a the branches of a tree several meters away.

And while she was sure he was dazed, formed a Shadow Clone and dove into the bushes.

'She's good…' Sasuke admitted as he vaulted himself for better cover.

But pride wouldn't allow him to use his kekkei genkai. Instead he crept around her, striking the nerve at the base of her neck in one fell swoop.

"Checkmate." He smirked.

And then the clone burst into rapidly thinning smoke.

"Behind you!"

Sasuke turned to meet a blow hard enough to send him in the opposite direction but before he could stumble very far, Sakura had flipped—catching him under the jaw and flipping him a full circle.

When he opened his eyes, she was straddling his hips and hauling him up by his collar.

"How do you like it, you bastard!?" She screamed as she punched him, her carefully maintained façade cracking for the first time.

"You…left…us…to rot!" Sakura yelled as she continued to land blows to his handsome face.

"Well, not it's my turn." She hissed as she pulled him close, "You're a sad, pathetic excuse for a shinobi who doesn't know the definition of hard work and who would rather take short-cuts no matter what it costs others. You disgust me."

Then she threw him back, took her headband from Naruto, and knotted it back in place as she declared she was going to get lunch.

"Sakura, wait!" Naruto cried as he followed after with Kakashi closely behind.

No one gave Sasuke a second glance.

TBC